Sri Lanka to launch e-Passport as report predicts huge AP uptake

Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration has outlined plans to introduce the e-Passport to enhance travel document security and personal identification protection.

Feasibility reports are already being compiled and the first biometric passports are expected to be issued within 12 months.

The announcement comes following a report, which outlined that Asia Pacific e-Passport production will grow from 16.6 million in 2009 to 55 million in 2014. The report by Acuity Market Intelligence predicts that there will be 26 Asia Pacific nations issuing biometric passports by 2014, as countries aim to meet the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) deadline of November 2015 for the issuance of e-Passports.

Acuity Principal, C. Maxine Most, said: “Asia’s growth is no surprise as electronic identity programmes are ultimately population driven and more than one third of the world’s population resides in this region. We expect emerging regional economies to drive accelerated demand for e-Passports as the number of Asia Pacific citizens travelling abroad for business and pleasure dramatically increases over the next five years.”